Kerala Budget 2021: 30 centres of excellence, new medical college

NEW DELHI: The Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac, during the longest speech in kerala budget sessions, announced Rs 1,175 crore for higher education and Rs 1,165 crore for school education. Among a flurry of announcements, Issac also said that 30 centres of excellences will be set up in the state and funds have been allocated to this in the Kerala Budget 2021.

During the speech, Issac also took a dig at the Centre, by remarking that initiatives such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 encourage privatisation and impinge upon states’ powers.

Issac said: “Rampant privatisation of the public sector, redrafting of labour laws, new educational policy, electric and motor vehicle laws etc not only appease corporates, but also grab the constitutional powers of the states.”

The minister also announced 500 ‘Nava Kerala’ scholarships of Rs 1 lakh each. Wayanad, which has a sizable tribal population, will get a new medical college. The government has also set aside Rs.53 crore for educational schemes for other eligible communities (OEC).

These were the main initiatives and the allocations made to them:

Kerala Budget 2021: Higher education

• Rs 1,175 crore total capital outlay for higher education

• 30 autonomous centres of excellence in universities.

• 886 vacant posts in universities “will be filled urgently” and at least 150 more posts created

• Special financial aid of Rs.100 crore for starting centres of excellence after evaluating existing universities and departments

• 500 Nava Kerala post-doctoral fellowships of the chief minister will carry a monthly stipend of upto Rs. one lakh.

• Rs.2,000 crore financial aid for infrastructure development of universities

• Rs.1,000 crore financial aid for affiliated colleges.

• 21 inter-universities or inter-disciplinary schools focussing on various fields such as in forensic science, nanotechnology,etc to be set up.

• Rs.500 crore for creating infrastructure facilities of these new institutions

• 500 ‘Nava Kerala’ two-year post-doctoral fellowships ranging from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1,00,000 per month to be granted. To set up laboratories and other facilities, an additional Rs.50,000 will be made available subject to requirement.

• Rs.125 crore each to major universities and Rs.75 crore each to other universities.

• The Kerala University of Health Sciences will be expanded to a university with its own departments and research

• Thrissur Medical College will be transformed into a Campus Medical College

• Rs.420 crore will be provided for medical colleges and Rs.20 crore for dental colleges

• An amount of Rs.43 crore allocated to Ayurveda Colleges.

• Rs. 300 crore sanctioned for new Medical College in Wayanad

• Rs.56 crore for development of infrastructure facilities of government colleges.

• Rs.28 crore for creating facilities meant for NAAC accreditation

• Indian Institute Of Information Technology and Management (IIITMK) has been elevated to a digital university. Rs.24 crore allocated for innovative research, entrepreneurship and co-ordination of Industrial higher education the IIITMK Digital University

• 150 crores allocated to digitalise all class rooms of affiliated colleges.

• Rs.131 crore for Kerala State Science and Technological Council and its related institutes

• Rs.215 crore for technical education overall

• Rs.35 crore for engineering colleges

• Rs.40 crore is for Polytechnics

• Rs.13 crore will be provided for skill gap reduction of technical students

Kerala Budget 2021: School education

• Rs 1165 crore capital outlay for schools including central government fund of Rs 240 crore through Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan

• For Model Residential Schools for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Rs.143 crore has been allotted through two channels

• Rs.120 crore for improving the infrastructure facilities in schools.

• Rs.73 crore for enhancing the standard of education through teacher training and other methods.

• Rs.105 crore for school uniforms.

• Rs.526 crore for mid-day meal distribution.

• Rs.111 crore for vocational and higher secondary sectors

• Rs.18 crore for Literacy Mission.

• Water quality standard assessment in every school

• Rs.60 crore financial aid to 290 special schools run by voluntary organisations and others.

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